Tag: Cyril Wecht

Good news for forensic pathologist and tv pundit Cyril Wecht. After 9 days of deliberation in his federal trial on theft of public services for using the state coroner's office to conduct autopsies and private business, the jury is deadlocked. The jury's note:

"After considering all counts in a variety of ways and in reconsideration of all individual opinions according to the court instructions, we have unanimously agreed we have reached an impasse," the note read. "We agree additional deliberations would not be helpful."

They will return Monday, but trial watchers say it's very good news for Cyril. [More...]

Famed pathologist Cyril Wecht goes on trial today in federal court in Pittsburgh on charges he illegally profited from his tenure as coroner. The charges are mail and wire fraud and theft of honest services.

In a case Congressional Democrats say is a politically motivated prosecution by a Republican administration, Dr. Wecht, a Democrat, is in federal court here facing 41 criminal counts.

....The upshot of the government’s case is that Dr. Wecht, who was the Allegheny County medical examiner until he resigned after his indictment in January 2006, used his office to benefit himself. The accusations include using county equipment, vehicles and employees in his private forensic pathology business.

In the most notorious charge, Dr. Wecht is accused of trading unclaimed cadavers to Carlow College in Pittsburgh for use of space to conduct his private autopsies.